April 26, 1945 – May 15, 2016   Elvira “Eli” Maria Fabian of Kamloops passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at the age of 71. She was born to the late Josephine Fodor and Joseph Nemeth on April 26, 1945. Eli attended school in Vasvar, Hungary where she enjoyed learning history in her formative years.  She later became a doctor’s assistant and nurse specializing in treating tuberculosis patients in Hungary before marrying her surviving husband, George, in 1971. A Canadian citizen since 1975, and resident of Kamloops since 1977, Eli became a dedicated homemaker in Canada and applied her medical skills to care for her son, Andras, who was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 3 in 1979.  She volunteered for the Canadian Cancer Society throughout the 1980’s and was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Blessed with incredible culinary senses and talent, she always ensured that family and guests were well taken care of at the dinner table while she remained humbly content to nibble on scraps, trimmings, and leftovers.  Her hospitality and kitchen skills were matched by a disarmingly blunt sense of humour and sagely empathy that echoed the myriad hard trials of life that both she and her ancestors had endured.  A long-suffering Vancouver Canucks fan, she enjoyed watching hockey, taking brisk walks, engaging in political dialogue, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, gardening, summer weekends at Shuswap Lake, eating peppers hot enough to make her cry, enjoying a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family. With a congenitally enlarged heart, caring for the well-being of others was both natural and integral to Eli’s life. She never forgot anyone’s birthday or special day, and she helped friends and family cope with various issues by carefully listening and providing frank advice or applying her medical knowledge and skills directly.  Her selfless nature, wisdom, resilience, inner strength, sheer determination in the face of adversity, and ability to continuously find both optimism and humour in times of darkness will remain a monument of inspiration and a testament to the good, beauty, and potential of the human spirit. Eli is remembered with love by husband George, her sons Andras and Zoltan, daughter-in-law Carman Kwan, brother-in-law Les and wife Eva Fabian, niece Monica Griffiths and family, nephew Leslie Fabian and family, cousin Gyuszi Herczeg and family, relatives Mari and Marti Csakany, close friends Shirley Bohlman and Linda Hall, family friends Frank and Elizabeth Egyed, Julius and Violet Groff, Louis and Anna Borsos, and many other relatives and friends throughout Canada, Hungary, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Eli requested a private post-life service. The family wishes to thank all of those who cared for her during her 8-year struggle with breast cancer, with special mention to oncologist Dr. Bradley Proctor for his efforts in helping to buy time she would not otherwise have had with us.  Special thanks are also owed to Della and the team of home care nurses and other local health practitioners who contributed to her comfort in her final months.  In addition, the family would like to acknowledge the support of Cindy Carstairs, Carol Leeuw and family, Greg Stoodley, Lisa Poier, Brian Maxwell, Carol and Joe Mezes, Marika Steklin, Etus Lerant, Lacsi Kacsor, Irene Labadi, our numerous good neighbours, and everyone who has kept us in their thoughts and prayers throughout this time.

See more at: http://kamloopsfuneralhome.com/online-tributes/

 

• Date : 2016-05-15
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.